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Slickdeals Forums Hot Deals Maxx Explore Rock Tumbler Kit, Durable Gem Polisher | Children Teens Adults Seniors 8+ - $5.50 at Walmart

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Maxx Explore Rock Tumbler Kit (Gem Polisher Machine w/ 6 Jewelery Settings)

$5.50

$15.00

+21 Deal Score

21,571 Views 44 Comments

Walmart has Maxx Explore Rock Tumbler Kit (32018) on sale for $5.50. Shipping is free with Walmart+ (Free 30-Day Trial) or orders $35 or more.

Thanks to Community Member gracefobert for sharing this deal.

Kit includes:

Durable Gem Polisher
13 different types of rough rocks like Rose Quarts, Amethyst, Tigers Eye, Sodalite and more
12 bags of polishing grit
6-Piece Jewelery Set w/ fashion rings, key chain and necklace settings

About this product:

Built in timer for 1 day, 2 day and 4 day tumbling
Get unique results with different types of stones and different tumbling conditions
Use the four varieties of polishing grit to transform rocks into smooth gems
Perfect activity for children to learn about geology and start a new hobby

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Good Deal?

Original Post

Written by Edited April 24, 2024 at 06:47 PM by

4 star reviews and seems like a fairly good deal. Originally $15. My kids love tumbling rocks but it does take patience.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/seort/460026892

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Created 04-24-2024 at 06:20 PM by gracefobert

in Educational Toys (5)

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$5.50

$15.00

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Model: Maxx Explore Rock Tumbler Kit, Durable Gem Polisher | Children Teens Adults Seniors 8+

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Sort: Lowest to Highest | Last Updated 5/27/2024, 11:00 AM

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We bought this for my daughter. Utter garbage. Started slipping on day 2, stopped turning at all by day 3. Obnoxiously loud. Threw it away and bought her the Chicago Electric one from Harbor Freight, which is fantastic and built to last a loooong time.

I can't believe you stumbled upon such a rockin deal, thanks op!

I'll add some info as I've been tumbling rocks for a long time. It's a lot of fun! This polisher might be okay for a kid, and might last through a batch or two. It really is a toy. For that price though you could maybe do a batch and see if you catch the bug for it. And the Harbor Freight option is a popular choice, and while I never owned that brand, I've read that the motors can be an issue. But it's still a good option.

If you do catch the bug, Thumbler's Tumbler and Lortone make good quality polishers that should last many years, but they are much more expensive. And you can buy various rocks and supplies (grit, polish, etc) at rockshed.com and kingsleynorth.com.

The traditional rotary tumbler requires you to tumble your rocks for a few weeks in "rough" grit. Then 1 week in medium, 1 week in fine, and then 1 week in polish. Depending on how long the first phase takes it can take 1-2 months. To answer the question about shortening the cycle... I do the first "rough" phase in a rotary tumbler. Then I use a vibratory polisher that does the last 3 phases in 10 days.

iamchris

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iamchris

05-02-2024 at 01:25 PM.

Quote from RGon

Excuse my question, it's more of a curiosity so I've yet to even Google anything related to this but, I'm assuming the vibratory polisher is like some sort or pool of sand you put your rocks into and it vibrates to polish the stones? How do you keep the stones from rising to the top while it's vibrating?

Step 1 is always to type your question into Google.
Step 2 is ask a human.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5V33xUTkmRM

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JMBauer74

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JMBauer74

05-02-2024 at 02:39 PM.

Quote from iamchris

Again, you don't have to listen to some stranger with 4 rotaries and a vibratory. Rock Shed and Kingsley North say you're a fool.

Because you're slowing down your abrasion by adding walnut shells, I'd even wager that you're spending more money on electricity due to the slowdown than you're saving from not buying real grit. But I'm sure you won't understand this concept either.

Even with my 5 tumblers, I spend about $100-120 on grit each year. You're stepping over a dollar to pick up a dime.

It's actually costing you more. You're using grit and water and I'm using grit, water, and walnut in a sluirry. It's more expensive for you to use all that extra grit mixed in with water, vs a slurry, with the walnut working with the grit to polish down the rocks. Plus you're having to use more grit and more than likely are running your tumblers much longer to get the same polish effect. I think I'll stick with a method that has been tried and true for many years and you can keep buying all that extra grit if it makes you happy.

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JMBauer74

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JMBauer74

05-02-2024 at 02:41 PM.

Quote from iamchris

Step 1 is always to type your question into Google.
Step 2 is ask a human.

I see you're dodging the other guys question and not telling him vibratory tumblers are primarily used for cleaning brass shells. If you use them to tumble rocks, it's going to get very loud for a long time.

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iamchris

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iamchris

05-03-2024 at 06:35 AM.

Quote from JMBauer74

You're a rube. There are vibratories built for shell cleaning, and there are more expensive heavy duty ones built for rocks. The two most popular ones:

https://www.diamondpacific.com/pr...y-tumbler/

https://rocktumbler.com/tips/how-...o-tumbler/

In a 4 pound batch with my MiniSonic, I also use a teaspoon of grit, where you'd be using 4 tablespoons (that's 12 times as much since I doubt you can do the math).

It also takes 2 days in stage 2, 3 days in stage 3, and 4 days in polish. Takes me about a week to do what you do in 3 weeks.

If you want to learn how to do things more intelligently and cheaper, come join us at https://forum.rocktumblinghobby.com.

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JMBauer74

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JMBauer74

05-03-2024 at 09:24 AM.

Quote from iamchris

You're a rube. There are vibratories built for shell cleaning, and there are more expensive heavy duty ones built for rocks. The two most popular ones:

I'll stick with what works. Not sure why you are trying to rush. I would rather take my time and get a nicer polish. Not only that, but I sort between stages throughout multiple tumblers. You might do a batch quicker, but won't look as nice.

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iamchris

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iamchris

05-07-2024 at 06:05 AM.

Quote from JMBauer74

This is too much irony for me to handle.

Guess you've got it all figured out and there's nothing left for you to learn. Good job, gold star for you!

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FaithfulRoad2843

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FaithfulRoad2843

05-07-2024 at 05:35 PM.

Quote from JMBauer74

What you're suggesting doesn't make any sense. Mohrs measures resistance to surface scratching. If you had a diamond, which would be a 10 on the scale, it wouldn't scratch easily and is not a stone you would polish by tumbling. Usually you would tumbling rocks around 4-7 on the Mohrs scale.

Here is a pre-polish and partial polished photo. Seriously, Walnut shells work great. The rocks will also partially polish as they smack against each other as they tumble, You can use a harder grit, but it costs a lot more.

How did you post pics in the comments?? Looks great!

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JMBauer74

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JMBauer74

05-07-2024 at 06:05 PM.

Quote from FaithfulRoad2843

How did you post pics in the comments?? Looks great!

Thanks! When you reply, click the "Go Advanced" button at the bottom of the comment box and it should give you an option to upload photos.

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iamchris

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iamchris

05-08-2024 at 12:43 PM.

Quote from JMBauer74

Just took a batch of tiger eye out of the vibratory tumbler. Used a whopping 1 tsp, which is cheaper and more effective than your cushioning material. Photographed dry of course, not wet or oiled like your photo.

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iamchris

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iamchris

05-08-2024 at 12:45 PM.

Quote from FaithfulRoad2843

How did you post pics in the comments?? Looks great!

They look great because he took pictures while they were wet. You can clearly see the water or oil.

They'd have a dull finish if photographed dry.

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JMBauer74

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JMBauer74

05-08-2024 at 03:24 PM.

Quote from iamchris

Looks like a good start. But still needs a stage 3 and 4 polish.

Quote from iamchris

They look great because he took pictures while they were wet. You can clearly see the water or oil.

They'd have a dull finish if photographed dry.

Incorrect. The reflection is sunlight. I run my tumblers outside.

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iamchris

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iamchris

05-08-2024 at 03:31 PM.

Quote from JMBauer74

Looks like a good start. But still needs a stage 3 and 4 polish.

Incorrect. The reflection is sunlight. I run my tumblers outside.

They're still in your rinse colander, which is also wet and glistening.

You're really something special.

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JMBauer74

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JMBauer74

05-08-2024 at 03:46 PM.

Quote from iamchris

They're still in your rinse colander, which is also wet and glistening.

You're really something special.

Correct. They're in a colander that I use to sort through them outside, plus let them dry. That photo is probably two years old. It's a finished photo from when the polish is complete, which is why I also had the photo of the same ones as raw rock (before + after).

Anyway, keep working on your rocks. Maybe put them in a rotary tumbler to smooth out some of those cracks. Maybe another week with stage two grit, then do another week in both stage 3 and 4, then you should have a nice polish on those. Good start though.

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iamchris

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iamchris

05-08-2024 at 04:06 PM.

Quote from JMBauer74

You truly are an interesting creature.

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JMBauer74

05-08-2024 at 04:26 PM.

Quote from iamchris

You truly are an interesting creature.

The important thing is you're learning. You really are off to a good start. Just fix that cracking and then you can do your stage 3 and 4, plus do a nice wash.